Early years · Childminder inspection (EIF)
Childminder in Hertfordshire
Summary
What we read, and from where
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- Inspection date verified
16 Dec 2019
- Inspectors verified
Jill Hardaker
- Behaviour and attitudes verified
Good
- Leadership and management verified
Good
- Overall effectiveness verified
Good
- Personal development verified
Good
- Previous overall verified
Outstanding
- Quality of education verified
Good
- Name on report verified
Childminder report
- URN verified
EY424887
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Hollow rings show the previous inspection, 2015.
- OverallGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Quality of educationGood
79% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Good (17,905 inspections).
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
Reads more critically than most reports of this type graded Good.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
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No standout praise found.
Concerns
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Next steps
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What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Parents & families3
“Parents speak positively about the childminder and his co-childminder.” p.2Communication & language2
“Children are developing good language skills and are learning how to use words” p.2
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 6
- Words of findings
- 751
- about usual (typical 764)
- Reading level
- Fairly hard
- Flesch 56, typical 52
- Average sentence
- 14 words
- Next steps
- 2
- typical 2
- Hedged sentences
- 2%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Overall effectiveness Good
The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding
p.1
The provision is good
Children demonstrate they feel happy and secure in the care of the childminder and his co-childminder. Overall, children engage well in independent play and learning. They have easy access to a wide range of toys and resources. They can easily find what toys they want to play with as boxes are very clearly labelled. This helps children to develop into independent learners.
p.2
The provision is good
The childminder gets to know children well. He finds out what children can already do when they start to attend the setting. This enables the childminder to quickly identify what children need to learn next. He interacts with children as they play to support their ongoing learning and development. For example, he encourages children to count and use colour names as they build with blocks.
p.2
The provision is good
Considering all the children are aged under three years, they play cooperatively and their behaviour is good. The childminder ensures children have enough resources, as he understands young children find it difficult to wait and share. For example, when they play outside, all children are able to use ride-on toys at the same time. This results in productive play and physical activity.
p.2
need to do better?
n Babies develop strong attachments to the childminder. They seek him out for reassurance when they are unsure of visitors. Babies feel secure as they sit on the childminder's lap and by playing close to him. n The childminder has effective systems in place to help him to keep children safe. For example, he carries out daily checks of the environment to ensure children play in safe areas. n Children are developing a good understanding of space and shape. They demonstrate this as they build structures with interlocking blocks. For instance, children can easily find the exact size of blocks to fit into spaces they have created. n The childminder takes children to different places in the community, such as toddler groups. He feels this helps children to widen their confidence and social skills. They also visit parks where children have more space to be active. n Children are developing good language skills and are learning how to use words
p.2
need to do better?
in the correct context. For example, when the childminder talks about the top and bottom of towers, children relate this to sleeping on the top and bottom of bunk beds at home. n Parents speak positively about the childminder and his co-childminder. They state children settle quickly and feel secure in their home. Parents say the childminders provide them with good feedback about how their children are learning and developing.
p.2
need to do better?
16 December 2019 n Children are developing good independence skills. They are keen to do things by themselves, such as finding their shoes when they want to go outside. Children are able to choose when they want to return indoors and instinctively take their shoes back to the hallway. n The childminder ensures non-mobile babies are able to benefit from playing outdoors. For example, babies smile as he pushes them around on ride-on cars. The childminder also supports babies to join in imaginative play in the playhouse with the other children. n The childminder uses his assessments of children's learning to identify any emerging gaps in their development. Together with his co-childminder, he implements strategies to help these gaps to be closed. n The childminder often shares stories with children. He gives them time to gain information from pictures and to answer questions. However, the books available for children to look at independently are of poor quality. This results in
p.2
need to do better?
children discarding books they have chosen to look at, as pages are missing or only the cover is available. n The childminder undertakes some relevant training and research, such as to help him to keep his safeguarding knowledge up to date. However, he does not plan robustly for his ongoing professional development, in order to continuously raise his knowledge and teaching skills.
p.3
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
p.3
Safeguarding
The childminder has a good understanding of how to recognise any signs that children may be at risk of harm or extremist behaviour. He understands his responsibility to maintain records and to report any concerns he may have about children's welfare. The childminder and his co-childminder have a clear safeguarding policy in place. This contains detailed information of the relevant agencies in their local area. The childminders share their policies and procedures with parents to help them to know how they safeguard children.
p.3
should:
n improve the quality and range of books available to the children, in order to promote their interests of looking at books independently n engage in professional development opportunities that focus more precisely on further developing teaching skills and knowledge.
p.3
Setting details
Unique reference number EY424887 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10127227 Type of provision Childminder
p.4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder Age range of children 0 to 11 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 22 Date of previous inspection 21 April 2015
p.4
Information about this early years setting
The childminder registered in 2011 and lives in Bushey. He operates all year round, Monday to Thursday from 7.30am to 6.30pm, except for bank holidays and family holidays. The childminder works alongside his wife, who is also a registered childminder.
p.4
Inspection activities
n The inspector looked at the areas of the childminder's home that he uses with children and discussed how he and his co-childminder operate their practice. n The inspector observed the childminder joining in activities with children and discussed the learning that was taking place with him. n A sample of documents was looked at by the inspector that included safeguarding policies, complaints procedures and suitability checks. n The inspector discussed the needs of individual children with the childminder and talked with him about the progress they are making. n The inspector took into account the written views of parents and discussed the childminder's reflections of his practice with him.
p.4
Inspection activities
16 December 2019 We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.
p.4
Inspection activities
16 December 2019 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.
p.5
Inspection activities
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p.6
Inspection activities
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p.6
Inspection activities
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p.6
Inspection activities
T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
p.6
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